De Blasio Could Cost New York DNC Convention Bid

While NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio had hoped to bring the 2016 Democratic National Convention to Brooklyn, the bad blood he has created between himself and the New York Police Department is reportedly causing genuine concern for influential Democrats.

The thinking seems to be: the last thing the DNC needs is their 2016 nominee and perhaps their party as a whole being seen nationally as anti-police, just as the nation sets off to begin the 2016 horse race to replace Barack Obama in the White House.

Party officials are concerned the bad blood might still be an issue when the convention is held in 2016, stealing the spotlight from the party’s presidential nominee, a top Democrat told the Daily News.

“They’re worried about the optics,” said the source, who is familiar with the Democratic National Committee’s deliberations.

Will [the police] turn their backs on the mayor? They don’t want side stories. The story should be the convention.”

It’s one thing to have uniformed police officers turn their back on one man, NYC’s de Blasio, but the image of what Republicans would be sure to portray as police turning their backs on the Democrats as a whole could prove to be devastating in 2016.

The timing could not be worse for City Hall, as the national party is expected to pick a host city in the next few weeks.

Even some local Democrats who are helping de Blasio lobby for the 2016 extravaganza acknowledge the city’s bid now faces serious headwinds.

“Until we know how and when (the mayor’s problems with the police) are going to be resolved, the Democratic Party would not want to take the chance of this controversy being the backdrop for its convention selection,” a Democrat active in the city’s bid said.

“Imagine what the Republicans would say … that (the problems)’show the failure of progressive leadership.'”